Beyond Delta
by Perko
Summary: Set 3 years after the Delta episode, a story exploring the challenges, trials and victories of our favourite Alpha Sapphire characters as Hoenn faces a new threat.


**Prologue**

Steven knew the feeling of fear. He had experienced the legendary Pokémon, Groudon and Kyogre clash in their fierce and mighty battle, shattering the equilibrium of Hoenn. He had felt this fear mixed with courage as he faced down such ancient power. He was a master trainer, his strength and bond with his Pokémon proven time and again. However, those dire times had been met with the help of his friends and fellow trainers. Tonight, he stood more alone then ever. What was coming for him, he knew not what form it took. Its' very atmosphere had him in a cold sweat. He had seen the aftermath of its wrath, a trail of broken souls, death and decay. One thing Steven was sure of…never before had he faced such evil.

The hairs on the back of his neck prickled, something was close, he could feel the vibrations of its' breath, and a slow intermit rustling, a terrible stench filled his nostrils…something was being dragged along the ground over the leaves. He shivered, heart thrumming against his chest. This was not a battle he could win with a frontal attack, he needed to know more about his opponent…once more, he cursed his foolishness for coming alone.

Creaking and splintering of trees sliced through the gloom. Steven jumped just in time to miss being caught amongst the crashing branches. The Pokémon drew a long loud breath before the air was filled with a blood curdling shriek. Steven gasped, holding himself against a tree, his chest felt heavy, painful, his Pokémon, he could feel terror through their bond.

His fingers circled Metagross' pokeball, seeking to give his friend reassurance he himself did not feel. Pokémon could sense fear and hesitation in their trainer, it would be of no help if he were to cower before this foe. He caressed the pokeball again, and touched the keystone at his breast seeking that balance between terror and serenity. A sense of focus spread through his body, the Pokémon master was ready.

Steven tore out from his hiding position, a smoke ball in his left hand, Metagross' pokeball in his right. He flung the smoke screen into the darkness towards the horrid smell, hoping it would shield their position. He called forth Metagross in a blinding flash of light.

"Metagross! Flash cannon!"

The Pokémon's light attack lit up the forest. What Steven saw, chilled his blood. Even as the night made to return to its formless black, Metagross' shiny body illuminated the scene in a faint glow. A dead Pokémon had been torn apart and strewn before them. Steven could not even tell what it had been, perhaps a rhydon. The sight sickened him, he closed his eyes and turned away, the pain strong within his chest. Was this the feeling of lose Pokémon felt? He touched the comforting smooth steel of Metagross,

"Do not look, my friend, this poor fellow is long beyond our saving." He murmured gently.

Steven shook himself, he could not drop their defence. Metagross stood out even on this moonless night. Whatever beastly form the dark Pokémon took, Steven could no longer hear or smell it. Any track it made would be difficult and dangerous to follow. They had to move from this place, the scent of Pokémon blood already had his team on edge. Choosing, perhaps rashly, not to recall Metagross, Pokémon and trainer began slowly moving through the night, unaware they were being followed.

It wasn't until they reached high cliffs towering over a dark body of water that Steven stopped. Several small bug Pokémon were retreating high into the trees, and he was sure he saw an umbreon streak away from them with a parting caw. They had seen nor heard any sign of other Pokémon until now. This wasn't normal Pokémon behaviour.

The breeze, strong against his face, ceased. Too late, Steven realised they had been upwind. The foul smell returned. He whipped around, keystone in hand. Something huge had blocked out the stars and was descending in a rush towards him.

"Metagross! MEGA EVOLVE! GIGA IMPACT!"

It happened so fast Steven had no time to react. He felt a sharp crunching pain to his chest as he was hit squarely and sent hurtling over the cliff. Bloody saliva sprayed the air in front of him. The wind rushed in his ears as he fell rapidly. The last thing he saw was Metagross colliding with the Pokémon's heavy bulk. He hit the water. The cold stung, seeping quickly through his clothes as he flailed.

Steven was pulled under the water and swept along in the swirling current as it surged into the mouth of the river. He lost all sense of space and direction and once more was flung into space with a torrential roar. A waterfall. Spluttering, he managed a gulp of air before hitting the bottom. Pain seared through his chest and arm as he was pushed out over jagged rocks and onto the bank. How he was alive he did not know.

Gasping, Steven crawled onto the rocky ledge, pain ripped through his body, breathing was difficult. He remained still for a time, trying to ground himself. Metagross' pokeball was long gone. So were his others upon checking…he was completely and utterly alone.

The moon peeked through the dense clouds and finally lit up the forest and river surface in silvery shadows. Steven immediately saw dark red covering the rocks, his hands…he looked down and was nearly sick…his chest was shredded and streaked with blood and gore. A single pokeball lay in a splatter of sandy crimson.

Steven gripped the pokeball. If this were to be his last stand, then he would take down this beast with him…like the Pokémon warriors of ancient times, it would be his final burn before the end…

 **\- Chapter One -**

 **The Hoenn League Champion, Challenged!**

The sky was a pale blue, streaked with the afternoon rays of a late summer sun, hesitant to begin its' descent on the horizon. Well, this was how May imagined the weather to be, tauntingly enticing. Truthfully she had no clue at all what the sky looked like today, credit to the Ever Grande board and their tiresome meetings.

Three years had passed since May had become the Pokémon League Champion, three long years…

Being the Champion, they never mentioned exactly what it entailed, an esteemed position of being the best trainer and being famous, that's what every new 10 year old embarking upon their journey fantasized. To beat all the gyms, to face the Pokémon league and defeat the Champion, May Maple, the heroine of Hoenn.

The sharp reality had sliced at May over the past three years, creating a young woman with hardened walls and an iron defence. The spotlight had long since turned harsh and heavy with the responsibility of being Champion, of guarding and protecting Hoenn, of being ever available, a slave to society. What choice did she have but to withdraw from all except the few close friends she trusted.

May let out a sigh, she missed the freedom of being able to train and explore wherever and whenever she desired. The board had impressed upon her, the responsibility of remaining at Ever Grade. They must have found the former Champion rather frustrating, she thought in amusement to herself.

"Miss Maple, are you listening?"

The sharp crack of a corporate voice cut May's musings, she sighed internally.

"Yes, I'm listening" May fibbed, "Is this going to be a long one though, Wallace is visiting this evening and I have to be in the hot seat for potential challengers in half an hour." She said flippantly, completely uninterested in whatever they were droning on about.

The man flicked through his papers, casting a disapproving glance at a snigger from Sidney. Finding the correct sheet, he handed it to his left, and without a word waited for it to reach the Champion, his dislike of her evident. May scowled back.

"Wait, this one could actually be important…suspicious sightings of a new team near Mount Chimney, League Champion requested to investigate." Sidney frowned.

"There haven't been any sightings of Team Aqua or Magma in years." Said Drake dismissively.

"It doesn't specify a sighting of team Magma or Aqua, just suspicious activity and uniform dark clothing…" muttered Sidney, before handing the report to May. She scanned it, brows furrowed.

"It might be nothing at all, however, with such a specific request for the Champion, I wonder if it's not a ploy of some nefarious nature to lure May out alone." Commented Glacia with some concern.

"Or it could just be a bunch or idiot adolescents dressing up in the hope to ask the Champion out for an autograph…or a date. Wouldn't be the first time." Sidney rolled his eyes, "Even still, one of us should go with you just in case."

May flipped the report shut, it sounded like another ruse, yet to go on an expedition to Mount Chimney was inviting.

"It's fine, I'll go with Wallace tomorrow." She said firmly, getting up from her seat and straightening her clothing.

"Doesn't Mr Wallace have Gym responsibilities in Sootopolis!" The board member commented disapprovingly. May didn't even glance at him,

"Probably"

"Then I hardly think Mr Wallace will be flying to the other side of Hoenn just to keep you company!" The man persisted. The Elite four all chuckled,

"Oh I don't think he'll object." Sidney said with a grin. May frowned at them all, not getting the joke.

"Alright, whatever, I'll be in the hot seat, buzz me if you need anything, or buzz me if you don't, it's not like I'll be busy." She walked out of the meeting room with a casual wave.

"Such insolence!" Fumed the board member. Glacia, ever the pacifier appealed to him,

"Please don't be too hard on her, she going through those difficult years of becoming a young women, I'm sure we all remember what it was like be a teenager."

"Phfft" Sidney scoffed, "She just needs to get out of this fishbowl, go and have a good time, fight some real battles again, get laid, live a little."

Shaking his head, the board member collected his papers and left the room.

"Well team, back to it." And with that, the Elite Four made their way to their respective rooms.

May draped herself across the champion's chair; it was a position of power, gazing down upon the entire room. An earned position of power, she reminded herself. It was intimidating and she wanted to be just that, anything to appear something other than a teenager not yet sixteen.

And so she sat and waited, she contemplated calling Wallace for a chat, seemed a bit silly considering he was coming to visit in barely an hour. She flipped open the Pokenav and scrolled through her contacts, half these people she didn't even know, probably time to clear up the storage a bit. She scrolled and scrolled, and deleted various randoms. And then she came upon a name that made her pause…Steven Stone. Scowling, May contemplated deleting his number. She entered their message bank…her last message and been more than a year ago, when Wallace had finally convinced her to move on with her life. May doubted this was still even Steven's number, if he'd even taken his original Pokénav with him, her fingers hovered over the keypad for a moment before she started typing and hit send…

 **Where are you?**

Letting out a wistful sigh, May pocketed the Pokénav. She had moved on she told herself, as Wallace had told her, there was no point in dwelling on a man who chose to walk alone into the sunset. Steven was gone, he wasn't coming back, she knew that. Foolish ideas of going in search of him had long since been stamped out. This was her life and he was no longer part it.

Feeling a vibration at her hip, May absently unclasped her pokenav and flipped it open,

"Any updates?" she asked, seeing the league front desk manager on the screen,

"Yes, we have a walk in, hopefully the last and only challenger for this evening." May internally sighed, these evening time slots, they brought in some odd folk. Not two nights ago the front desk had let in some weirdo completely sloshed on oran berry dark. They found him passed out between gateways, he hadn't even made it to Sidney. Sidney, of whom, had waited for an hour for the supposed challenge. May had been astonished the front desk had let him through at all.

"We legally have to admit all challengers with 8 badges…" the desk man had said sheepishly,

"Not when they're staggering and stink of wine, you incompetent moron!" Sidney had been furiously shouting.

"Champion May?"

"Oh yes, sorry, can you please repeat that?"

The man cleared his throat,

"We believe you may have a challenger make it all the way through to you, from reports, this trainer has already defeated Sidney, Glacia and Phoebe…with ease. We haven't seen anything like this since…well, since you!" May nodded,

"I'm ready." And with that she ended the call.

A challenger making the elite four seem like rookies with their first Zigzagoons? May felt a flutter of excitement deep in her stomach as nervous energy worked its way through her body. She'd had a lot of battles in the first year of being champion, but no one had ever breezed through, and it had been awhile since she'd had a serious challenge. Drake was the last hurdle.

May waited with bated breath. The minutes stretched as she reined in her anticipation. And then she heard it. The doors creaked open and then the slight scrape of shoes echoed around the room. May's heart rate thudded against her chest, she could not see them, they could hardly see her in the shadows draped across the chair…another intimidation or over use of extravagance, she knew not…but it worked well for her. She rose;

"So, Challenger, you have defeated the elite four. I offer my congratulations on making it this far. I, May Maple, Hoenn's Pokémon League Champion accept your challenge and ask only that you show my team and I the power through your bonds that transcend understanding, for you shall receive nothing less from us today." May finished her speech flamboyantly. There was a pause, and then a quiet chuckle reached her ears.

"Oh I intend to do just that."

The quiet, smooth tone rooted May to the spot. That laugh, that voice... The dim lights slowly filled the room with colour as they brightened, May saw her Challenger's face slip from the shadows. The silvery hair, the light blue eyes…

"Hello May"

It was Steven Stone.


End file.
